You should implement this in your operation

Frost is approaching. Winter will soon be here, and with the arrival of these months and falling temperatures, industrial facilities and workshops face an annual challenge. That is, managing to produce compressed air without unexpected downtime and complications with its distribution. Cold weather has a dramatic effect on the physical properties of air and represents a stress test for compressed air systems. If you don't prepare your facility for winter, you risk condensate freezing, damage to pneumatic components, and the aforementioned unplanned production downtime, which can be quite costly.

Since this topic is becoming relevant, we have prepared, as specialists in the field, an overview of key measures that you should check and implement before the frost hits.

1. Watch out for the pressure dew point and condensate freezing

A fundamental physical rule is that cold air can hold much less moisture than warm air. As soon as compressed air flows into a colder environment (for example, into uninsulated, unheated halls or when led through outdoor piping), residual moisture immediately begins to condense. At temperatures below freezing, condensate freezes, cracks valves, and clogs pipework, as it acts as an ice plug.

• Golden rule: The pressure dew point (PDP) should always be at least 10 °C lower than the very lowest measured ambient temperature in the areas where your piping runs. We have written a comprehensive and information-packed article about the dew point and its measurement in our advisory section.

2. Adsorption dryers as a necessity for outdoor piping

Classic refrigerant dryers are our best-selling product range in the field of air drying, but they are not sufficient for some applications. They can lower the dew point of compressed air only to +3 °C. Keep in mind that for indoor heated spaces, this is really almost always fully sufficient. But if part of your piping runs outdoors or in uninsulated parts of the facility where it freezes, a refrigerant dryer will not save you.

For these cases, it is necessary to deploy adsorption dryers, which can reliably lower the pressure dew point to -40 °C, or even up to -70 °C. Also, don't forget to check and, if necessary, replace the adsorption desiccant (silica gel or activated aluminum oxide) before winter, if you already own an adsorption dryer but no maintenance has been performed on it yet.

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3. Protection of condensate drains and piping

Places where condensate accumulates are the most at risk in winter. Condensate has the greatest tendency to remain especially in condensate drains, filters, and drain valves. These components can then burst under pressure when frozen.

Are you ready for the frost? Here's what's worth doing.

• We recommend shortening the intervals for manual draining and blowdown of air receivers and filters.
• The ideal solution is to install intelligent heated condensate drains.
• Apply electrical heating cables and quality thermal insulation to at-risk sections of outdoor piping.

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4. Secure the room housing the compressor

Even the compressor itself should not operate in freezing conditions. The temperature in the compressor room, if you have such a separate room, should never drop below +5 °C. The reasons are purely mechanical and technological:

• Oil thickening: Ordinary mineral oil thickens in cold temperatures and loses its lubricating properties. This places extreme mechanical resistance on the compressor during cold starts. When this happens, you can be sure that large current spikes occur, overloading the compressor's electric motor. If your compressor room is colder, consider switching to synthetic compressor oils with a lower pour point for the winter.
• Condensation inside the machine: Drawing in icy outside air can overcool the compression block. It is best to modify the machine's intake so that in winter the compressor draws in tempered air from inside the building, or alternatively insulate the compressor and prevent it from taking in air directly from outside.

5. Turn the frost into an advantage: Heat recovery

It's fascinating, and we've written about it several times in our advice centre, but up to 90% of the electrical energy a compressor consumes is physically converted into waste heat. It would be a huge waste to let this heat vent outside unused during the winter months. Using heat recovery systems (heat exchangers and air handling dampers), you can effectively use the hot air from the compressor for direct heating of adjacent production halls and warehouses. Given today's energy prices, the payback period for such an investment is extremely fast. In a smaller workshop, heat recovery can even be built yourself. A fan for heat extraction, piping... 

In conclusion: Don't underestimate winter prevention.

Preparing a pneumatic system for winter requires a comprehensive approach – from compressed air treatment through pipeline insulation to checking oil levels. If you are not sure whether your system is ready for temperatures dropping below freezing point, do not hesitate to contact us.

If you are unsure about winter operation and want the most efficient solution, we will gladly propose technical measures that will keep your production running without unplanned downtime throughout the winter. Let us know by email or by phone number in contacts.